Didn't know if you knew this......Home Depot carries leaf rakes.....Ok so I know that kinda spoils the fun. Someday when I grow up I want a shop with as much as you have "laying around". Things are coming together nicely. Keep us posted and we all expect video of you putting her to use.

Moose, a leaf rake or two I could handle, but 4 acres of huge mature trees defoliating on the lawn, not so much. Maybe in my younger years LOL.

Thanks for the kind words fellas, maybe some more bits will fall into place tomorrow. Got some more linkage welded in tonight, and some other bits done tonight as well in the couple hours I had after family gatherings. Pics, well, maybe tomorrow...

Nice looking wagon. I like the 4 wheel steer set up, it should work great.

Personally I would ditch the spring mounts for a couple of reasons. First I would want the bed to be firm and stout. The springs will allow it to move around and even sag on which ever corner has the most weight. Second since none of the wheels drive there is no need go through a lot of work to allow the axles to swivel for ground contact maximization. Check out the pic I attached. I would weld a spacer block to the bottom of the bed frame and since you don't want to weld the axles you could weld a flat plat to the bottom of that and run a U bolt around the axle.

Notice how hay wagons are built. They are built so that the axles are solid mounted to the bed and the whole wagon bed acts as the frame. Of course they will twist some depending on the terrain.

Attached Thumbnails

That's a good thought twostep, I'll have a look at that in the morning. Making the upper bed integral with the frame is a good thought for sure, though I am not sure which way I want to go on it just yet. Guess I'll make up my mind when the stinger is in my hand LOL...

Twostep, just thought I'd let ya know you were spot on. I whacked one of the srings with the trusty ball peen hammer, and it fell over like a tree in the woods .... rebuilt it some tonight, with your idea in mind. At the current pace I wonder how this is gonna be as a snow vacuum, rather than a leaf vac??? Might have to add skiis to it.... oh wait .... N O o o . .

Aww heck, this thing is taking too long, like every other thing around here. But I made some progress anyways.

Cast is a sinister thing to weld to, but the TIG welds I made did not break when I smacked 'em. Hard. Had some cast rod, laying about, made a cover pass with other filler, seems to be okay. Not the prettiest, but okay.

The vertical tubes receive the upper frame, and the nuts and bolts tighten things into place, allowing just a bit of flex, as Twostep suggested , sorta.

Got the thing primed, and ready for the next step.

Anyways , the proof is is the pudding, as they say.

Aww frig, my card is corrupted, pics will have to happen another day, I am too tired to fix this darn computer thing...

Just wanted you to know that I bagged up some leaves before the snow hit here so if you don't get the vac completed before the snow flies in your neck of the woods I can mail them to you so you can try it out in your shop........ I believe I speak for others when I ask.....where are those pics you promised? (J/K)